| Course | MKT 443 Social Media Marketing (MKT/443) |
|---|---|
| Week | 3 |
| Paper type | Social media targeting and tactics paper |
| Length | about 1,060 words, 4 double-spaced pages plus title page and references |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | University of Phoenix |
| Program | BS in Business |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for MKT 443 Week 3
Young Families, College Students and Lifelong Fans: Matching Social Media Tactics to Target Markets for a Bismarck Baseball Team
[Student Name]
University of Phoenix
MKT/443: Social Media Marketing
Week 3 Assignment
[Instructor Name]
[Date]
The Missouri River Hawks, its segments and its figures are composites written for a model paper.
The first two weeks gave the Hawks, a made-up independent club in North Dakota's capital, a list of interactive opportunities and a loyalty community for season ticket holders. The next step is reaching the fans who buy single-game tickets, where attendance has fallen most. Last off-season, the team surveyed 1,140 fans and matched responses with ticket data. The results point to three segments with different habits and motives. This paper defines those segments, sets objectives for each and applies specific social media tactics, supported by research on engagement and sharing.
Segment 1: Young Families
Parents aged 28 to 42 with children under 12 make up about 30 percent of single-game buyers. They plan outings a few days ahead, care about cost, safety and things for children to do and attend mostly on weekends. In the survey, 88 percent used Facebook and 71 percent used Instagram weekly. The objective is to raise family ticket package sales from 1,900 to 2,400 next season.
Segment 2: College Students
Students at two local colleges, about 4,600 people in total, are rarely seen at the park, although summer session students and those who stay in town for work are a potential audience. They respond to low prices, friends' plans and events that feel social. Survey respondents in this group used TikTok and Instagram daily and Facebook rarely. The objective is to sell 1,500 student-night tickets, up from about 400.
Segment 3: Lifelong Fans Over 50
Fans over 50 attend often, buy food and merchandise and value the team's history. They read Facebook and the local newspaper. They make up a smaller share of single-game buyers but a large share of revenue per visit. The objective is to keep their attendance steady while encouraging them to bring grandchildren.
What Research Says About Engagement
De Vries et al. (2012) analyzed brand posts on fan pages and found that vivid and interactive features affected popularity in different ways: vivid posts such as videos and posts with questions attracted more likes or comments, and the position of a post on the page mattered. Lee et al. (2018) studied thousands of company posts on Facebook and found that content conveying personality, such as humor and emotion, raised likes, comments and shares, while purely informative content such as prices and deals performed poorly on its own but helped when combined with personality.
Berger and Milkman (2012) analyzed which news articles were most emailed and showed that stories which stirred people up, through awe, amusement or even anger, were passed along more often than stories that left readers calm or sad, and that positive content spread more than negative. For the Hawks, the lesson is that a plain promotion schedule will rarely spread, while a funny or surprising moment at the ballpark will.
Tactics for Young Families
On Facebook and Instagram, the team will post a weekly family guide each Monday listing weekend promotions, kids' activities and the cost of a family of four's evening, since parents plan ahead. Short videos of children running the bases after Sunday games will carry emotional appeal. Facebook events for each family day will let parents invite friends. Paid Facebook and Instagram ads will target parents within 60 miles with a family package offer, using the platforms' age and interest targeting.
Sample post: Four tickets, four hot dogs and a run around the bases after the game, all for $48 this Sunday. Who are you bringing?
Tactics for College Students
On TikTok and Instagram, the team will hire two student ambassadors from local colleges to create short videos, such as dugout challenges with players and previews of student nights with $5 tickets and a postgame concert. Students trust content from peers more than from brands. A group ticket offer that becomes cheaper as more friends join will make attendance a social plan. Posting will be most frequent Wednesday to Friday evenings, when students plan weekends.
A post that a student would send to a friend does more work than ten posts the team sends to the student.
Tactics for Lifelong Fans
On Facebook, the team will run a weekly Throwback Thursday series with photos and stories from 30 seasons of baseball in Bismarck, inviting fans to share their own memories. A monthly Grandparents and Grandkids night will be promoted with posts asking fans to tag the grandchild they will bring. Replies to comments will be prompt and personal, since this group values recognition.
Why the Segments Need Different Tactics
The three groups differ in more than age. Families plan around children's schedules and judge an outing by whether the children were happy and the bill was reasonable. Students decide late, in groups, and care most about whether their friends are going. Lifelong fans already know the team and want to feel that their history with it is respected. A single post cannot speak to all three motives at once, which is why the tactics below differ in platform, timing and tone even though they promote the same product.
One Voice Across Segments
Although tactics differ, the Hawks' voice will remain friendly, local and a little playful across platforms. Visual elements such as colors and logo stay consistent. The marketing coordinator will approve all ambassador content against simple guidelines, including disclosure that ambassadors are paid.
Weekly Rhythm and Workload
Monday: family guide on Facebook and Instagram. Tuesday: player feature video. Wednesday to Friday: student content from ambassadors. Thursday: throwback post. Game days: live updates and fan photos. The coordinator, two ambassadors and the summer intern share the work, about 15 staff hours a week.
Metrics by Segment
Families: family package sales and clicks on the weekly guide. Students: student-night tickets sold through ambassador codes and shares of their videos. Lifelong fans: attendance of fans over 50 in the ticket system and comments on throwback posts. Each will be reviewed monthly during the season.
Conclusion
Targeting turns social media from a single broadcast into a set of conversations with different groups. The Hawks' three segments differ in platforms, motives and planning habits, and research on post features, personality and emotional content explains why each needs its own tactics. With one consistent voice and measurable objectives, the plan gives a small front office a realistic way to fill more seats.
References
Berger, J., & Milkman, K. L. (2012). What makes online content viral? Journal of Marketing Research, 49(2), 192-205. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmr.10.0353
de Vries, L., Gensler, S., & Leeflang, P. S. H. (2012). Popularity of brand posts on brand fan pages: An investigation of the effects of social media marketing. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 26(2), 83-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2012.01.003
Lee, D., Hosanagar, K., & Nair, H. S. (2018). Advertising content and consumer engagement on social media: Evidence from Facebook. Management Science, 64(11), 5105-5131. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2017.2902
What the MKT 443 Week 3 instructions ask
The Week 3 assignment commonly asks students to apply social media tactics to an appropriate target market. That usually means describing one or more target segments by demographics, behavior and media habits, selecting platforms where those segments spend time, and recommending tactics, such as content types, contests, user-generated content, influencers, live video, stories or paid targeting, for each segment. Some prompts ask for a content calendar or sample posts. The strongest responses justify each choice with evidence about the audience and research on engagement, rather than personal preference. Cite academic sources in APA format, give each segment a measurable objective and explain how the tactics fit together under one brand voice.
How this MKT 443 Week 3 example is built
Ticket data and a survey of 1,140 fans give the Missouri River Hawks three segments worth targeting. Young families with children under 12 decide on outings a few days ahead and use Facebook and Instagram. College students at two local schools respond to cheap tickets and friends' plans and spend time on TikTok and Instagram. Lifelong fans over 50 read Facebook and the local paper and value tradition. The paper sets one objective per segment, matches platforms and content types and draws on research about which features of brand posts attract likes and comments, which emotions make content spread and which kinds of informative or persuasive content drive engagement. Sample posts, a weekly posting rhythm and segment metrics complete the tactical plan.
MKT 443 Week 3 grading rubric: where the points go
Papers on targeting tactics are scored on how well the segments are defined and how closely the tactics fit them. The higher levels require segments described with useful detail, including behavior and platform habits, plus a clear objective for each one. Tactics should be specific and justified by research or audience evidence, and they should differ across segments where the audiences differ. Graders also look for coherence: the tactics should share one brand voice and a manageable workload. Sample content, a posting schedule or a calendar can show practical understanding. A paper finishes strongly with metrics tied to each objective, scholarly sources, APA citations and organized, readable sections.
MKT 443 Week 3 help: mistakes to avoid
Writers on this topic often define a target market as everyone aged 18 to 65, which leaves no basis for choosing tactics. Narrow the segments and describe what each one does and wants. Another common error is recommending the same posts on every platform, which ignores how audiences behave differently on each. Some papers list tactics without explaining why they suit the segment, or rely on trend articles instead of research. Cite evidence about engagement and sharing. Students also forget capacity; a one-person team cannot produce daily custom video for five platforms. Choose fewer platforms and do them well. Finally, give each segment a number to track, such as group ticket inquiries from families, so the plan can be judged.
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MKT 443 Week 3 questions, answered
What does MKT 443 Week 3 usually cover?
It usually covers applying social media tactics to a target market: defining segments, choosing platforms they use and recommending content types, timing and promotions suited to each group.
Where can I find a free MKT 443 Week 3 sample paper?
The Week 3 targeting paper for a composite North Dakota baseball club, with three segments, sample posts and metrics, is available to read in full above.
How do you choose social media platforms for a target market?
Start with where the segment already spends time and what it does there, using survey data or platform research, then match the platform's strengths to the objective for that segment.
What kind of content gets the most engagement on social media?
Research finds that vivid, interactive and emotionally arousing content, along with posts that convey personality, tends to attract more likes, comments and shares than plain announcements.
Should every segment get different social media tactics?
Where segments differ in platforms, motives and timing, tactics should differ too, but the brand voice and visual identity should stay consistent across all of them.
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